


Promises

by cecania



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, New Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 12:04:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13146339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cecania/pseuds/cecania
Summary: A new year and a new beginning. A chance to atone for past mistakes. At least that’s what it’s supposed to be. If you can let go and move on. Asra isn’t so sure he can. Not with everything that’s happened.





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

  * For [buckybarrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckybarrow/gifts).



> This is set in one of our versions of canon where Luci's Errol is the apprentice, and my Veera is a close friend and dancer in the market. It was written as a present for my ever lovely @juuneaux who is an amazing best friend and person all around. Thank you for always letting my play with your babs and here’s to a new year of shenanigans and aus and general love and happiness between us ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

 

            Asra smiled as laughter filled the house. It was bright and happy and everything that he needed right now. The dreams had been worse lately, more realistic than before and he hadn’t had time to center himself. This was helping though. This always helped.

            He was perched on a tall stool in the kitchen, leaning back against the wall. There was a plate of fruits, meats, and cheeses in his lap and a mug of sweet wine on the counter near him. The table in front of him was laden with rich food and drink and good people sitting around it. Even though he wasn’t immediately at the table, he wasn’t left out. They all were completely involving him and giving him the space he needed at the same time.

            It was one of the many reasons why he loved this family as much as he did.

            Laughter burst up again as Cyran’s story came to an end and Veera tumbled out of her chair from her giggling. Asra hid his own behind his mug, sipping at the wine while she sprawled on the floor. Her moods were infectious and none so much so as her good ones. It was one of the main reasons he had agreed to join her family for the new year, knowing they’d both need this.

            The last year had been…hard to say the least and not one he truly wanted to talk about. But he was so thankful to her and her family for everything that they had done to help. More than that, that they’d hadn’t pushed when it was clear he wouldn’t-or couldn’t-give answers to their questions. They’d taken it all in stride and acted like nothing had changed when everything had.

            “Oh, that’s not fair,” Veera groaned, covering her face. “I wanted to go out and now I can’t feel my legs.”

            “We could roll you down the stairs.”

            Asra’s lashes fluttered, nearly closing at that voice. It had been so close to being lost, all because of a lack of judgement on his part. He’d been stupid and pushed when he shouldn’t have, nearly losing the one thing he’d fought so hard to save. It felt like it had been months, _years_ , since he’d heard it properly when Errol had regained his ability to speak weeks ago. But that period of darkness was still fresh in his mind.

            Veera groaned again and pushed herself off the floor. “Tempting but I’ll pass,” she said.

            Errol’s grin was like the sun coming up and Asra basked in it from across the room. “You sure?”

            “Stop that,” she chided, smacking his arm lightly. “It’s New Year’s, you’re supposed to be nice.”

            “We’re supposed to be drunk.”

            “Uncle, you are _not_ helping,” she complained as Errol laughed again.

            Asra stiffened when her gaze slid over to him and she held out a hand.

            “Keep me company?” she asked, curling her fingers when he didn’t immediately move. “Please?”

            Everyone was looking at him now and he felt himself flush. Setting aside wine and food, he hopped off the stool. “For a bit,” he agreed, taking her hand. “No, she can stay with you.”

            Errol’s hands fell from where he’d been going to take Faust off his neck. “You sure? She’s been staying with me so much lately.”

            “Because she likes you.” Faust loved Errol but he didn’t need to make the distinction right now. “We won’t be long.”

            He could feel Errol watching as Veera led him downstairs, the heat lingering on his skin. It didn’t get better when they stepped out into the alley behind the shop. Summer might have been coming to an end but apparently no one had told it that.

            Veera let go of his hand, hopping up to sit on some of the crates across from the door. “So.”

            Asra bristled at her tone. She wasn’t nearly as drunk as she’d made herself out to be. “Clever ruse,” he said quietly, leaning back against the shop and crossing his arms over his chest.

            She shrugged. “I only want to talk, Asra,” she assured him. “But I won’t push. I just didn’t want to do it up there and you’ve barely left Errol’s side since…well, since.”

            A tremble ran the length of him but he quickly stomped on it. “We’ve already talked about that.”

            “Mm, we’ve talked about Errol,” she corrected. “We haven’t talked about _you_.”

            What was that supposed to mean? He was fine.

            “Asra,” she sighed.

            “Don’t do that,” he said quickly, pushing away from the wall. “Do not use your magic like that.”

            Another sigh, accompanied by an exasperated look. “I wasn’t going to,” Veera told him. “I’m not going to compel you to talk about it. You just need to talk about it and who else are you going to talk to?”

            He opened his mouth but her finger came up, pointing sharply at him.

            “Don’t you dare say Faust or I will hurt you.”

            His teeth came together with a faint clack and he didn’t say anything at all. He didn’t have anyone to talk to because he wasn’t sure what had gone wrong and he was terrified to even mention anything about it for fear it might trigger something else. It wasn’t like he could talk to Errol about it and Faust had no more answers than he did.

            “You know,” Veera said softly, “you keep saying how much you appreciate what my family does for Errol, that we’ve taken him in like he’s family of our own. Which he is. But…Asra, you do know that extends to you as well, right? You’re as much family as he is and seeing you like this isn’t easy. You can put on a smile and laugh all you like but I know something is wrong and unless you get it out, it’s just going to fester inside you. If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine. I can’t do anything to help besides listen but please, as a New Year’s gift to me, talk to someone?”

            “I have a gift for you,” he said, the words coming automatically.

            Her shoulders sagged a little and she hopped off the boxes. “I know. Well, we should probably go back before Errol drinks my aunt out of house and home. Where all that wine goes I’ll never know and honestly it’s terrifying that he can keep up so well.”

            She was walking past him to go back inside and Asra felt a moment curling in the air, hanging, waiting. It was fragile, ready to pop, and it utterly terrified him. If he said the words, would it make it true, would it destroy what progress had been made, would it set them back to before and-“I’m scared, Veera.”

            She froze before going up the steps, only half turning toward him. “Scared?” she prompted when he didn’t continue.

            The words were clogging his throat and threatening to come out in a garbled rush. “I almost lost him,” he pushed out, forcing himself to choose his words carefully. If he broke, Faust would know and Errol would find out. Errol couldn’t find out.

            “You didn’t,” she said softly. “He’s still here.”

            But it wasn’t the same. He knew he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth but it was hard to accept what was in front of him when he remembered before. “Is he?”

            “You know he is,” she said softly, touching his arm and squeezing. “We all see more and more of him with every day that goes by. You’ve been so patient, Asra, why is this bothering you now?”

            Maybe because he’d thought the anniversary might help. Maybe because he’d been stupid and tried to use magic when he shouldn’t have. He’d already more than pushed the bounds of what should be. Any more and his luck was sure to run out. “Veera, I can’t lose him again.”

            “You won’t,” she insisted. “None of us are going to let that happen. You know that.”

            He did. Veera had always swung by the shop, to visit and trade. It hadn’t been hard to ask her to keep an eye on Errol when he’d had to leave before. Of course, he hadn’t even thought of leaving since everything had happened, fear making him sure Errol would vanish the moment he set foot out of the door.

            “Asra, I think you need to go again.”

            He recoiled, smacking into the wall. “No. Errol-”

            “Will be fine,” she cut in. “He’s an adult and he’s functioning again. He knows he’s always welcome here and I know I’m always welcome there, with or without invitation. You have wards all through that shop that could probably stop a hurricane if need be. He’s safe but you’re killing yourself by staying here, staying locked in whatever’s going on in your head.”

            The thought of travelling hadn’t even crossed his mind, even when certain store stocks had started to run low. None of that was more important than taking care of Errol and the urge to wander, to gather, to travel had ebbed in the face of it.

            “You know I’m right.”

            He hated that he did and that she was. Maybe that was the root of all of this. He wanted to go again, to seek out new exotic ingredients and components to bring back to the shop. He wanted to see the delight on Errol’s face when he came home, the shout of his name and the rush across the room for a hug. He wanted to sort through the treasure he brought back with him, explaining where he’d found them and what they were for while they drank tea at the kitchen table. He wanted to listen to the stories Errol would tell of the customers they’d gotten or whatever nonsense Veera had dragged him into while he’d been gone. He wanted all of it back. “It’s going to be different.”

            “It already is. Bun’s different now and we can’t change that. All we can do is live day to day with him and see what happens.”

            That’s what scared him the most. They couldn’t change it and there was the very real possibility that he’d never remember.

            Veera’s arms slid around him when he made a noise and she hugged him tightly. “Different doesn’t have to be bad, Asra,” she murmured. “It’s just different. It’s a new journey and you take those all the time. Look at it like that. Maybe it’ll help.”

            He resisted for a moment before hugging her back. He was glad she didn’t say anything about the way his hands were shaking against her or the tears she surely felt sliding over her neck. Wanting what was was fruitless at this point. They all had to move forward and figure out their paths from here. The past was going to haunt him but he couldn’t let it rule him. Doing so wouldn’t be good for anyone.

            When she pulled away, she framed his face in her hands and gave him a smile. “You really need to remember you’re not alone, Asra,” she chided gently. “We love you too and want to help as much as we can. As much as you’ll let us.”

            Sighing, he gave her a half smile. “I know.”

            Her thumbs rubbed against him, wiping away the remnants of his tears. “We should probably go back up. It’s nearly time to open the gifts.”

            He caught her wrists when she stepped back and smiled again. “It isn’t exactly tradition-”

            Veera snorted loudly. “Because that’s so important in this house.”

            Asra gave her a look and laughed when she returned it. “Two gifts to you, my friend,” he chuckled. “One upstairs and the other…soon. I’ll go soon.”

            Her expression softened. “It’ll do you both good,” she promised.

            He wasn’t sure about that but it was time to travel again.

            “Besides,” she continued, pushing the door open, “absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?”

            “Veera,” he groaned, rolling his eyes.

            “Mm, I suppose you’re right. I don’t think you can get much fonder of Errol.”

            Asra sighed. He knew she wouldn’t say anything when Errol could overhear and he was grateful for that, but she rarely held back when they were alone. She said it was meant to be encouraging, but they both know she loved teasing him.

            She paused to look back at him as she stood just within the door. “Come on, oh great magician,” she said, holding out her hand again. “Let’s drink some more, give our gifts, and watch the new year start.”

* * *

 

            Staring out the small window, Errol watched the clouds drift in front of the moon. It was late and he knew he should be asleep but it wouldn’t come. Resting his cheek on his forearm, he settled a little more into the mattress but his gaze didn’t move from the sky.

            They hadn’t meant to stay with Veera’s family so long but they’d kept eating and talking until well after the sun had set. Then Marah and Cyran had both insisted they stay, not leaving any room for them to argue. So they’d been bundled into the small loft and verbally tucked in.

            His gaze flicked away from the sky for a moment, landing on pale hair that seemed to glow in the moonlight, before he made himself look somewhere else. Asra was asleep, his deep breathing almost lulling enough to pull him under as well, but a thought kept tugging at him.

            Something was bothering Asra. He might not have said it, but it was becoming painfully obvious to Errol. He couldn’t put his finger on when things had changed but they had and he didn’t like it, didn’t know how to fix it. He was fairly certain he hadn’t done anything but doubt was cruel and crept in when he didn’t want it. Maybe he had upset Asra and the other didn’t want to say. Maybe he’d finally grown tired of how much help Errol had needed over the last few months.

            Errol frowned against his arm. Had he thanked Asra for everything he’d done? He couldn’t remember. He was sure he had, though, because he owed Asra so much but that doubt….

            He sighed and closed his eyes. The thoughts were slowly souring the joy he’d felt all day. When Asra had mentioned they’d been invited over, he’d spent the week being excited about it. Picking out gifts. Buying a new outfit to wear. Everything had been full of happiness and today had been no different. Now, with the sun set and nothing to keep him company but his own thoughts, he was ruining it.

            A cool sensation slid under his clothes, slowly slipping up his back. It brought a smile to his face despite everything. He pursed his lips to keep from laughing but soft huffs left his nose as he failed. A tongue flicked against the back of his neck as Faust slid through his hair before she was curling under his ear.

            Errol shifted so he could scratch under her chin, smile growing as she melted into him. She’d been spending a lot of time with him recently, curled around his shoulders or hiding in his clothes. He didn’t really understand why she’d been with him more than Asra but he enjoyed all of the cuddles. It was the only cuddles he seemed to get anymore. Well, no, that was a lie. Veera always wanted a hug or was willing to wrap an arm around him if they were close. And Asra still shared the bed with him at the shop but it wasn’t what he wanted.

            A small sigh filled the loft. He was right there and Errol didn’t know what to say to him.

            He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand moved over his back, rubbing slowly.

            “Errol?” Asra asked sleepily. “You alright?”

            “Are you?” The question came out without him meaning it to.

            The little candle near the window flared to life. It wasn’t a lot of light but it was enough to see his face. “Why do you ask?”

            Sighing again, Errol settled back into the bed, facing away from Asra. Always more questions and so few answers. “No reason,” he muttered.

            The hand stayed on his back, fingers curling a little into the back of his clothing. “Errol….”

            “It’s nothing, Asra. Good night.”

            “Errol.”

            His nose scrunched but he didn’t move. Asra was entitled to his secrets and he was entitled to feeling upset when he didn’t get answers.

            Asra stroked his back again, his fingers coming up to toy with the ends of Errol’s hair. “I know you’re not asleep,” he said quietly. “And…no I’m not alright.”

            He tensed before lifting his head to look at Asra again. The other was frowning as he stared out the window. “Did I do something?” he asked honestly.

            Wide eyes turned to him, blinking rapidly. “You? No, Errol, no, you haven’t done anything. It’s…me. I’ve put things off for too long and it’s catching up with me.”

            What did that mean?

            Asra toyed with his hair again before his hand fell to the blankets and he sighed. “There are things I need to do, to see to, outside of Vesuvia. I’ve waited as long as I could but…Veera’s right. I need to go again.”

            Errol was confused for a moment before his heart leapt into his throat. “You’re…leaving?”

            “Not immediately but…soon.”

            Staring at him, Errol wasn’t sure what to think. Some part of him felt like this was…normal, but he had no idea why. He didn’t like the thought of Asra going, didn’t like the thought of being alone in the shop, but…. “You’ll come back?”

            “Of course,” Asra said immediately, his gaze jerking back to him. “Of course I’ll come back!”

            “Shh,” Errol hissed, glancing over his shoulder where the ladder downstairs was. That last bit had come out louder than he was sure Asra meant it to and neither of them would want to wake their hosts.

            Asra flushed a little in the candlelight before his head dropped on another sigh. “Look, I’m coming back,” he promised. “I can’t stay away from you for too long anyways. I don’t want to.”

            Errol blinked before flushing himself. There were a lot of unsaid things in those words and in his voice and he didn’t know where to even start questioning them. Or if he should. It clearly wasn’t something Asra wanted to talk about. “Will you…bring me back something?” he asked slowly.

            Moonlit curls bounced as Asra’s head snapped up and Errol’s blush deepened at the look on his face. “What. What would you want?”

            “Surprise me,” Errol said quietly, looking away. There was too much emotion pouring out of Asra right now and he wasn’t completely sure why. All he’d asked for was a surprise gift. It didn’t seem like much.

            Fingers moved over his hair again, making him peek through the long strands at Asra. A small smile was curling his lips, a faraway expression on his face. “I’ll find something perfect for you,” he promised.

            Errol smiled himself but there was a feeling of sadness lurking in his chest he couldn’t quite banish. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Asra would come back because he knew he would. Somehow he knew but he didn’t like the thought of being alone in the shop for however long he’d be gone.

            “Hey,” Asra said, his hand turning to stroke down his cheek, “I know you don’t want to be alone but you won’t be.”

            It was hard not to turn into the touch before he gave up resisting all together. His eyes closed and he nuzzled gently into Asra’s palm. A tremble ran through his hand before he cupped Errol’s cheek.

            “I can leave Faust to keep you company,” he said, his thumb brushing over Errol’s skin.

            He shook his head. “No. She misses you. She’s been spending so much time with me. She needs to be with you.”

            Asra’s mouth flattened for a moment before a rueful smile replaced it. “You’re right.”

            That sadness he felt seemed to be creeping over Asra as well now. This wasn’t how Errol wanted to end the day, not after how good it had been. “I have an idea,” he said quietly.

            White brows went up, a curious sound following.

            Taking a deep breath, he glanced down at his hands, specifically at the sunstone ring on one of his fingers. It had been his gift from Veera earlier but…. He tugged it off his finger and caught Asra’s hand. Slipping it onto his finger, he felt Asra tense but he stayed quiet as Errol took the matching moonstone ring off his hand. “There,” he said, shyly looking up at the other as he put the moon ring on his own finger. “Now we’ll be together no matter where you go.”

            Asra blinked at him before looking down at the ring and blinking at it.

            “I mean…only if you want to,” he added.

            If he’d thought Asra was emotional before, it was nothing compared to how he looked now. He looked speechless and…touched. “I wish you could actually come with me,” he said softly.

            Errol shrugged, wishing the same thing. He didn’t know why he couldn’t but the feeling in his gut told him he had to stay here. “Maybe next time.”

            “Maybe,” Asra agreed.

            Neither of them believed that but this was as good as it was going to get. Smiling at Asra, he laid back down after a moment. “We should probably sleep,” he murmured.

            “Probably.”

            He watched as Asra stretched out beside him, a flick of his fingers dousing the candlelight and bathing them both in moonlight again. His arm draped over Errol’s side and pulled him close.

            “Go to sleep, Errol,” he said softly, rubbing his back. “We’re going to have to deal with Veera’s family at breakfast far sooner than I’d like.”

            Errol snickered. Breakfast did get loud with her family, even if they couldn’t understand what her and her aunt were arguing about. “Veera likes mornings as much as you do, especially when she’s been drinking.”

            Asra chuckled. “All the more reason to go to sleep now, Errol.”

            Closing his eyes, he cuddled a little closer to Asra, pressing a hand to his chest. The steady thumping of his heart was soothing and comforting and he knew he’d miss it while Asra was gone. He smiled softly before tucking as close as he could. Asra’s only reaction was to tighten his hold on him, his fingers curling into the fabric of his clothes.

            “Go to sleep, Errol,” Asra whispered, his breath brushing over Errol’s skin. “I’m not going anywhere yet.”

            The words weren’t completely comforting but he took what he could out of them. Asra would still be here for now, would be here when he woke up. That would be good enough for him for now.


End file.
